


Deja Brew

by sugarland



Category: Shadowhunters (TV), The Shadowhunter Chronicles - All Media Types
Genre: Billionaire- Magnus, Family, Fluff, M/M, Single dad- Alec
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-09
Packaged: 2021-03-12 13:21:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28886034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sugarland/pseuds/sugarland
Summary: Multi-billionaire bachelor Magnus Bane meets chronically broke single dad Alec Lightwood.
Relationships: Magnus Bane/Alec Lightwood
Comments: 21
Kudos: 402





	Deja Brew

**Author's Note:**

> Grinder's Cafe rewrite to fit Malec

_Deja Brew_

It's a funny name, alright, but Magnus has to admit this coffee shop made a good impression on him.

He should have tried it way sooner, he thinks as he heads out with a giant cup of black coffee. The guys who work here are really nice and even though their average customer is not exactly the middle-aged businessman Magnus is used to, he thinks he's going to come back. He didn't even know this place existed before the café just next to his office shut down. This one is smaller, but it's just around the corner, and a stroll can't hurt, after so many hours sitting behind a desk.

The new MB Tech phone has just been launched and it already sold out twice. It makes Magnus proud, but it's been a couple of intense weeks and now he just wants to relax and take it easy. He's so sick of parties and public events that all he wants is lots of wine and The Project Runway marathons.

He's so absorbed in his thoughts that he completely misses the person walking in as he exits, and before he knows his coffee is exploding against the innocent passerby's coat. And on his baby's wrap.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry!” Magnus babbles, mortified. He steps back, hands dripping. “Are you okay?”

“We're fine, don't worry.” A pair of brown eyes set on him. The stranger smiles reassuringly, and Magnus' knees turn to mush.

Oh no, he's hot, his brain screams before he has even processed the guy's very attractive features.

He blushes, ashamed of himself. “I wasn't looking where I was going,” he mumbles, picking up the empty cup from the ground. “Is the baby okay?”

The man looks down upon the sleeping child, who hasn't even noticed the fuss around him. Him, actually, according to the name embroidered on the wrap: Max. “He's fine,” he says amicably. “There's a lot of layers, under here.” His look falls on the empty cup in Magnus' hand. “First time at the Deja Brew?”

Magnus casts a distracted glance down. “Is it so obvious?”

“I come here often.”

 _Very interesting piece of information_ , Magnus' brain purrs, and, again, he doesn't know what is wrong with him. He literally just met this man.

“My coffee shop closed down,” he explains. “And I've been told the stuff here is to die for.”

“It is,” the stranger confirms. “I know the owners,” he adds with a nod towards the door. “I'm sure I can get you a free replacement, if you want.”

“I'm all willing to pay for it, if it's that good.” There's an idea dancing at the edge of Magnus' mind. It's stupid, but worth a try. “Can I buy you something to apologize?”

The man considers Magnus' proposal and after a moment his mouth curls. “I was just going to get my daily black coffee, so... why not?”

Magnus opens the door for him and follows him inside.

He has no idea what just happened, but he's glad it happened.

* * *

His name is Alec. Alec Lightwood.

Handsome, sweet, sunny Alec Lightwood. 

He's a single dad living just one block down the street and, apparently, he spends a lot of his time in this café. He's friends with the two guys who run the place and they welcome him with big, bright smiles and a lot of delighted cooing around the baby boy.

The taller one, Raphael, takes Alec's coat and puts it to dry over a heater, while the shorter one, Simon, takes their orders and insists to seat them at the nicest table, just by the fireplace, which has already been properly decorated. 

“Easy, Simon,” Alec laughs at the man's enthusiasm. “Maybe Mr. Bane doesn't have time to-”

“It's okay, really,” Magnus assures quickly. “My working schedule is quite flexible. And call me Magnus, please.”

“Magnus.” Alec grins, causing a flutter of sparkles in the nape of Magnus' neck.

The situation is escalating very quickly. Magnus gives himself fifteen minutes tops before this instinctive liking towards the man turns into a crush.

“Is he always so peaceful?” he asks to break the ice, with a nod towards the baby, who is still fast asleep against his father's chest.

Alec looks down at him with a fond smile. “I wish. He's pretty fussy around midnight, which means that, if I'm lucky, I usually get to go to bed around one. Until he wakes up again at five.”

Magnus can't help noticing, not without a hint of satisfaction, that he hasn't mentioned any partner.

“So you're a single parent.”

“Yeah.” Alec doesn't sound uncomfortable nor sad. “My ex girlfriend didn't want him. She was going to get an abortion and wouldn't change her mind, even if I promised she would never hear from me and the baby again after the birth. When I offered to cover all the pregnancy expenses, she suddenly became much more malleable.”

Magnus feels a wave of sympathy and admiration for this incredible guy. “She took advantage of you.”

“I let her.” says Alec with a light shrug. The baby bounces in his wrap but doesn't complain. “She knew I wouldn't give up on this little one.”

He loves his child, that much is obvious. Magnus tries to imagine himself in this situation and realises, with a bit of shame, that he probably wouldn't have been as selfless as Alec.

“Do you have debts?” he asks impulsively, but it's very rude to ask such a personal thing and he immediately regrets it. “I'm sorry. It's none of my-”

“No, it's okay.” Alec thanks the waiter – who brought them their orders, then turns to Magnus again: “I don't have any debts, but... Let's just say Max and I are having a bit of a rough time making ends meet, as of now.” He strokes the baby's back with his thumbs. He has beautiful hands, large and strong, an elegant pattern of veins and tendons well visible under the smooth skin. “But we're trying to stay positive, aren't we, Blueberry? There's people not half as lucky as we are, out there.” He pauses to drop a gentle kiss on the baby's head, then adds: “I don't care about money. As long as Max is warm and well fed, I'm good.”

Fifteen minutes? Scratch that. Magnus is already crushing hard on the guy.

He's mesmerised by this man and his unconditional love for his son: Alec sacrificed everything for Max without a single regret, and he's staying strong and determined despite the hardship he's constantly facing. And he's happy, and grateful, because, despite not having everything he wants, he has everything he needs.

The exact opposite of Magnus.

He thinks of his billions, of his huge, empty loft full of useless stuff, and instead of feeling sorry for a man who is raising a son alone with limited finances, he feels sorry for himself. Because he's disgustingly rich, and owns a lot of things, but at the end of the day, when he goes home and no one's waiting for him, no one missed him, he has nothing.

“What do you do for a living?”

“I'm a historian. I work for a museum. Mostly research and paperwork. Which is a blessing, because most of my work can be done from home. Or from here.”

“And you're taking care of him on your own?”

“Yeah.” Alec takes a long sip from his cup. He sounds casual, but a shadow has darkened his face. “I don't really talk to my family, except my sister, and I don't know many people, here, apart from Simon and Raphael and few others.”

“You are very brave,” Magnus remarks with absolute honesty, but Alec dismisses the comment with a modest shake of his head.

“Nah. Just a goner for this little warrior here.”

“Warrior?” Magnus' eyes widen. He looks at the baby. “Is he-”

“He's good, now,” Alec explains. “But he spent his first three weeks in the NICU, and it wasn't fun for either of us. I almost lost him twice.” He seems to zone out for a moment. His fingers dip into the baby's back like he's afraid he might slip away from his arms, then he slowly regains his smile. “He's nearly two months, now, and doing great.”

Magnus is vaguely aware of the fact that, if this conversation continues at this rate, he's going to end up on one knee before their coffee are over.

He clears his throat. “I must insist you let me pay for the damage I caused.”

Alec's chest is shaken by light laugh. “It's very nice of you, but we're not doing that bad.”

“But it was my fault...”

“You wanna do some good?” Alec nods towards the counter, where Simon and Raphael are chatting with a couple of customers. “The guys are collecting money for an animal shelter in their neighborhood. Give whatever you feel like to their cause, and we're square.”

“Very well, then.”

Magnus feels a warm tingle in his heart. There are chances he might be in love. Which kinda sucks, because he's not sure he's ever going to see Alec again. Unless he starts frequenting this coffee shop. Which he should, since his old one has shut down.

After Alec leaves, thanking him for the coffee and the nice chat, Magnus pays for the drinks and inquires about the charity.

“Alec told me you're raising funds for a shelter?”

Simon nods vigorously. “Yup. You looking for a four-legged blessing for your home? Or three-legged. We have a couple of those, too.”

“Not really, but... I'd like to help. How much do you need?”

“We're aiming for ten thousand. You know, to repair the roof and fix the heating.”

“How much have you raised, so far?”

“About 2k,” Raphael says. It doesn't sound like much to Magnus, but he seems rather proud.

“Alright, then.” He fishes his cheque book and a pen from the inner pocket of his jacket and fills the blank with a five figure sum. “I believe this should do.” he smiles, handing the cheque to the guys. “Have a good day.”

The two men return the smile, then they look at the cheque and pale, until a broad, disbelieving grin appears on their faces.

“Y-you, too, sir!” they exclaim, but Magnus' already gone.

He's out in the street, whistling with his hands in his pockets. His phone rings twice, but he ignores it.

He can't even hear it.

His mind is too busy trying do decide if Alec Lightwood's eyes are hazel or light brown. 

* * *

It's almost ten when Alec finally enters the café the day after. He's a little disappointed when he makes it inside without any charming stranger running into him.

He's late because Max wouldn't stop crying and it took him an hour to get him to calm down and ready to go out. He wishes he knew what he's doing. He loves this kid, but most of his behaviors are still a mystery to him and he needs to perfection his ability to recognize a hungry cry from a cranky one.

All he wants is to drown his frustration in coffee.

When he orders his usual, Raphael gives him a weird look.

“What?”

“You know that beautiful man that poured his coffee on you yesterday?”

“Yeah?”

“He gave us a fucking cheque for the shelter.”

Alec smiles. Charming, _and_ golden-hearted stranger. “He wanted to pay for the cleaner's bill,” he explains. “I told him to give the money to you, instead.”

Simon smirks. “Was he going to buy you the whole business?”

“What do you mean?”

“Nothing. He really seemed like a good guy.”

“He did, didn't he?”

“He also seemed very interested in you.”

Alec nearly chokes on his coffee. “Very funny.”

“Come on, man!” Simon elbows him encouragingly. “He's a real gentleman, you should give him a chance!”

“You can't give a chance to someone who hasn't asked for any,” Alec argues, but Raphael winks: “ _Yet._ ”

“What's that supposed to mean?”

“We gave him your number.”

“You did what?”

Raphael makes an innocent face: “He called this morning to ask if we thought your coat was salvageable, so we decided it would be easier if he asked you directly. Even if he's straight – and he's not, trust me – it can't hurt to meet new people. He said he's a bit of a loner himself... you could both use a new friend.”

“A wealthy one,” Simon interjects, wiggling his brows meaningfully.

Alec doesn't know about wealthy, but he could definitely use a friend.

A charming, golden-hearted one, incidentally, with kind golden eyes - and a smile that could easily light up the whole city.

“What do you say, Max?” he whispers to his son while he waits for his order. “Do you think Magnus really likes us?”

Max burbles, suckling onto Alec's finger. He giggles. “I'll take that as a yes.”

* * *

Magnus spends way too long in front of the mirror trying to make his attire appear as casual as possible. It's just a coffee, after all, and he doesn't want Alec to think he's trying to impress him.

Which he is, but that's not the point.

It's cold, outside, and the jacket he picked is probably a little too light. He wraps the scarf tighter around his neck and speeds up his pace. He's grinning like an idiot, but who cares? He's too happy Alec accepted his invitation.

Just a coffee, he reminds himself yet again. Just a mere coffee.

“'Morning, Mr. Bane!” greets Simon as soon as he steps inside the café.

“Magnus, please,” he greets back. He smells cinnamon and vanilla in the air, something that reminds him of Christmas, even though there's still a few months to go. 

“We can't possibly thank you enough for your generosity, Magnus.” Raphael has appeared from the back, carrying a tray of freshly baked cinnamon rolls. “You should visit the shelter, some time. You'd be able to see for yourself that your money was well spent.”

“I'll make sure to pay a visit as soon as possible, then.”

The guys thank him once more, then the bell above the door rings, and there is Alec, face red from the icy wind. Little Max is buried beneath the folds of his coat, which, Magnus notes with relief, has been washed pristine clean.

“Hey!” The way Alec's face lights up makes Magnus' knees go weak. They stay weak for the whole time, even after they've been chatting for a while.

Magnus tells Alec about his job (omitting a few trivial details, like the fact that the company he works for is his own), about his interests and how he never seems to click with people and prefers books and movies, instead.

Alec talks about his life before Max. He says Max made him a better person, and he's proud of it.

“You should be,” Magnus says, and he means it. “You have more guts than most people I know.”

“Which is not many, according to Raphael and Simon?” Alec teases, and, _oh_ , Magnus is absolutely smitten.

“Touché.”

“Thanks for the invitation, by the way. You didn't have to.”

“I wanted to.”

Alec smiles, and something inside Magnus topples. He never felt like this with anyone before.

“Coffee on Monday, coffee on Thursday...” Alec tilts his head to one side and his smile turns into a smirk. “Should I get my hopes up?”

Magnus gulps. This is flirting, isn't it? He's not just imagining it. The choice of words, the tone, the non verbal cues... It's a quite unmistakable ensemble, right?

“There's nothing better than dinner to get one's hopes up,” he suggest, surprised by his own boldness.

Alec's smirk falters, and so does Magnus' courage. What a fool. It was too soon: Alec doesn't even know him. He ruined everything before it was even a possibility.

“I'm sorry, that was inappropriate. I shouldn't have-”

“No, it's-” Alec shakes his head. “I'd love to. The dinner, I mean. I was just thinking about Max.”

“What about him?”

“There's no one I can leave him with. Simon and Raphael are busy until late, here, and I'm not sure I can trust a baby sitter to-”

“Why would you leave him? Just bring him along!”

Alec scrutinizes him with a glint in his eyes that causes Magnus' heart to skip a beat. “Are you sure? He can be quite noisy at times.”

“If they kick us out of the restaurant, I'll just buy it and kick them out.”

Alec bursts out laughing. It wasn't a joke, but he doesn't need to know.

So it's happening.

The mere thought makes Magnus grin like an idiot.

He's taking handsome Alexander Lightwood out for dinner.

* * *

Magnus' not taking handsome Alexander Lightwood anywhere.

Alec calls the aftenoon of their date to cancel because Max has a light cold and he doesn't want it to risk getting worse. Magnus, of course, tells him not to worry: Max comes first.

He's not mad. He understands. He's just a bit disappointed.

He mopes around his office for a long while before an idea tickles his mind. It's not like a fancy restaurant, but...

One hour later he's knocking on Alec's door, still not entirely sure this is going to be a welcome surprise. He crosses his fingers, just in case.

There's a sound of locks being unlocked, then the door opens and Alec appears, wearing just sweatpants and a plain black shirt that is very flattering for his figure: with all those layers of clothing, Magnus never noticed he's in such remarkable shape.

“What are you doing here?” Much to Magnus' relief, Alec doesn't sound annoyed, but actually quite pleased. He glances at the bags full of groceries in Magnus' hands and then at Magnus again.

“Since we couldn't go to dinner, I brought dinner to you.” Magnus enthusiastically raises the bags. “Did I mention I'm a superb cook?”

Alec steps aside and invites him in. “Are you trying to seduce me?” he asks, patting his back with a familiarity Magnus didn't realize they had. Not that he minds. “Because you should know it's totally working.”

Flirting? Again?

Magnus must be dreaming.

“Where's baby Lightwood?”

“Sleeping, finally. Took me forever to soothe him.”

The apartment is small: a living room, a kitchen and two other doors which presumably lead to the bedroom and bathroom. Magnus could fit all of it into his wardrobe and there would still be room left.

Alec observes curiously as Magnus unpacks his purchases and spreads them over the counter.

“Penne, basil, onion, tomato sauce, mozzarella...” Alec arches his brows. “Are we eating Italian?”

“Are you familiar with pasta al forno? It loosely translates to-”

“Baked pasta.”

Magnus turns to Alec with an impressed look. Alec chuckles. “I speak a lot of languages. Historian, remember?”

 _Is that so?_ Magnus thinks, admirably. “You are an endless source of interesting surprises.”

“I know, right?” Alec puts his hands on his hips and shrugs in false modesty. “I'm fascinating like that.”

Magnus is staring. Staring with hazy eyes and an idiotic smile tugging at his lips. “You absolutely do,” he agrees. He's pretty sure he is in love.

They look at each other for a long while. There's something there, Magnus can sense it. He feels the electricity between them, the heat of Alec's body standing so close to him. It feels like something could happen.

But it shouldn't. Not yet. There's no need to rush things.

“Do you have a casserole?”

Alec blinks. His shoulders relax, like he's been holding his breath. “Yeah, sure.”

Magnus spends one hour making dinner, teaching Alec the recipe in the meantime. It's nice to do it in this warm, tiny kitchen, with Alec hanging around, alone at first, then with Max propped against his shoulder while he bounces him gently to lull him back to sleep.

It feels pleasantly domestic, this whole thing, and Magnus and Alec are surprisingly at ease around each other – they chat, they joke, they flirt – as if they've been doing this since forever. To Magnus, it feels like they have.

When they finally sit down to eat, the whole apartment is filled with the mouth-watering smell of pasta al forno.

Magnus and Alec sit down in front of each other at the table, a bottle of red wine and a bowl of salad to accompany their dish.

It's not a fancy restaurant.

Magnus never wants to see a fancy restaurant again.

He likes this.

It's simple.

It's cozy.

_It feels like home._

* * *

After pasta al forno, Magnus makes Alec ravioli alla zucca, risotto alla milanese and spaghetti allo scoglio. Every Friday night, they try a new recipe. Every Friday night, shows up with fresh, prime quality ingredients for his and Alec's dinner. It's their thing, and he wouldn't skip it for anything in the world.

They're always at Alec's because it would be stressful for Max to be moved around so late, especially after he falls asleep. There is also the fact that Magnus likes the warmth of Alec's small apartment, and the sweet, soapy baby scent that fills it. He feels much happier here than in his own home.

“We should at least split the costs for all this stuff,” Alec says the night of melanzane alla parmigiana. He's washing and slicing down the eggplants while Magnus prepares the sauce.

“Sure,” says Magnus. “As soon as you let me pay you back for letting me mess around in your kitchen every Friday.”

Alec barely stifles a touched grin. Magnus sees him out of the corner of his eye, turning away to conceal his moved expression. Alec can't afford this stuff, and Magnus won't accept money in exchange for something he takes such pleasure in doing.

“Besides,” he continues, nudging Alec with an elbow. “I would be all alone at home eating take out, if it wasn't for you guys. Cooking for yourself isn't fun.”

Alec interrupts the cutting. His expression is soft, full of affection.

“I'm glad I met you,” he mutters. “Not because you bring me expensive food and spoil me and Max rotten. I'm just glad you're in our life.”

“And I'm glad you are in mine. Both of you,” he stresses, casting a glance at Max, who is slumbering in his seat right next to Alec.

Alec's look flickers all over Magnus' face. “Both of us, huh?”

“Okay, busted.” Magnus rolls his eyes playfully. “I'm only here because you have the cutest baby in the world.”

Alec snorts. “If you saw him during one of his late night wailings, you'd take it all back. Sometimes I think she's possessed.”

He says this with such love that Magnus forgets for a moment what he's doing. Forgets even his own name. How blessed he would be, if he deserved even one minuscule shard of this man's love. “He's very lucky to have you.”

There's a pause. 

All amusement on Alec's face vanishes. He drops his head, focusing his attention on the slices of eggplant before him. “Sometimes I wonder if it was selfish of me to keep him,” he mumbles. There's a sadness in his voice that hurts Magnus in a way he didn't believe possible. “I can barely provide for his basic needs. I'll never be able to give him what he deserves.”

“What a child deserves is love, and he has plenty of that,” Magnus protests. It angers him that Alec feels inadequate. “He lacks nothing, with you. And, who knows, tables may turn, one day.”

He doesn't say he wants to be the one to turn Alec and Max's tables. If he confesses this, he has to confess something else. Something he's not quite ready to admit and Alec is probably not ready to hear.

“Yeah,” Alec replies flatly. Max starts fussing, so he picks him up and holds him against his chest. “Maybe I win the lottery.”

Magnus wants to comfort him, to tell him it's gonna be alright for him and Max, but then Alec turns to him with glossy eyes and he loses all power of speech.

“My dad is loaded,” Alec blurts – spits, almost. “But I won't take a single cent from him. I don't want to owe him anything. Unless things get desperate.”

Magnus nods sympathetically. He knows nothing about babies, so he can't really comprehend the difficulties of being a single parent. However, he can't help wondering if he would be a good father, if he would be willing to sacrifice his personal time and space to look after someone else or if he would just pay someone to do that for him.

Would he be capable of loving a child of his own like Alec loves this little one?

“I had no idea babies were so high maintenance,” he comments, bewildered. 

“Neither did I, honestly,” Alec confesses sheepishly. “Diapers, clothes, food... The formula is ridiculously expensive. You'd think there's gold and diamonds in it. But it's okay.” His hand goes to Max's head, which barely fills his palm. “With a few sacrifices, we're pulling through. Aren't we, my little blueberry?”

“What brand do you use?” Magnus asks without thinking. An insistent thought has been twirling in his mind since the conversation started.

“Of formula? Enfamil. Why?”

“I- I have a connection who may be able to get you free samples,” he lies.

“Oh.” Alec's face fills with genuine gratitude. He pats Magnus' shoulder. “That would be awesome! Thanks, Magnus!”

Later, at the pharmacy, Magnus learns that one pound of the best formula can cost over twenty dollars. Which doesn't sound unreasonable, to him, but he has probably unrealistic standards.

“First child?” the pharmacist asks with a smile when he requests six packs of Enfamil.

Magnus smiles back but doesn't answer. He hands his credit card to the woman with an odd buzzing in his ears.

He's never considered himself a fatherly man. To be honest, he never thought about it at all. But suddenly, for some reason, the thought of himself with a child in his arms doesn't seem so alien.

* * *

Alec doesn't know what this thing with Magnus really is.

Since the incident with the coffee, they've been seeing each other a lot, sometimes for their regular not dates, sometimes coming up with ridiculous excuses to justify such a strong desire to spend so much time together.

There's something about Magnus Bane that feels absurdly right, to Alec: he's cultured and very smart (and Alec's sapiosexuality is very attracted to this), sensible and sensitive and extremely patient; he's kind and polite to everyone, even when people don't really deserve it, and can always handle things with absolute diplomacy.

He's a decent guy. So decent that Alec has started wondering if he isn't growing so fond of him a little too quickly. After all, they still haven't discussed the nature of this mutual interest they are experiencing. As far as he knows, Magnus might be just looking for a friend. A friend to flirt with. A lot.

Alec is quite positive they are dating, but they are taking it easy, for obvious reasons. He trusts Magnus, but he wouldn't blame him if he didn't want to start a real relationship. He understands: it can be intimidating and most people would hesitate to commit to a single father.

And yet Magnus is always very thoughtful when it comes to Max: he brings free samples of formula whenever he gets any (which is quite often); if they go out for drinks, they always go early and he chooses quiet pubs where he won't be disturbed by heavy noise; if they go for a stroll, he always offers his scarf to grant him extra warmth, and Alec always accepts, even if it's not truly necessary. Magnus has even bought an infant seat for his car, because Alec once mentioned most taxis don't have it and carrying grocery bags up and down the subway with Max strapped to his chest is a nightmare. So now for the past three weeks Magnus has been picking up Alec with his car (a very elegant SUV) every Saturday afternoon to go grocery shopping together and he appears very happy to push the cart as Alec picks what he needs from the shelves while trying his best to stick to his weekly budget.

They decided to try a cart with an integrated baby carrier, today. Alec sprays disinfectant all over it twice before he agrees to put Max in it. It makes Magnus laugh, to which Alec replies with a point of his finger: “You try having kids, see how funny it is to see germs everywhere.”

A shadow darkens Magnus' features for a split second. He gets wistful, looks at Alec intently, then at Max. A corner of his mouth curls. He leans down to mutter into Max's ear: “Your dad is a little OCD, isn't he?”

Max gifts him with a toothless grin, which makes Magnus beam even brighter. “I know, right?”

“What are you two conspiring behind my back?” Alec interjects, trying to put on a frown that, despite his efforts, ends up turning into a grin.

“Uh oh, I think he caught us,” Magnus whispers to Max, but his look is fixed on Alec, and it's sweet, and loving.

Alec's heart quivers.

His mind starts building a scenery where he's not afraid of the future, because he and his little boy are not alone anymore.

\----

If Friday nights are for cooking at Alec's and watching nerdy movies, Sunday mornings are for breakfast at the Deja Brew.

It's very crowded during the weekends, but Raphael and Simon always have a table reserved for them and as soon as they can they leave the counter to steal Max and walk him around so that he can admire the decorations shimmering all over the café.

It's a busy morning, today, and it's been five minutes since Alec went to ask for some warm water for Max's formula, leaving Magnus in charge.

Magnus is nervous: Max is hungry and he's getting impatient. He's trying his best to soothe him in his pram, but it's not working.

“Come on, where are you?” he groans. Max's crying his lungs out, now. Several people are staring at him, probably wondering why he's doing nothing. He can't see the counter from here, so he has no idea if Alec has noticed.

“Alright, Mr. Lightwood,” he says in a whisper. “I guess you leave me no choice.”

He stands up and bends over the pram a bit uncertainly: he has no idea how to do this. He tries to mimic Alec's movements, sliding one hand under Max's head and the other behind his back. He feels fragile and weightless, squirming restlessly as he tries to adjust him over his shoulder like Alec always does.

The crying stops.

“Oh.” Magnus frowns perplexedly. He tires to draw his head back to check if Max is okay and sees he is, in fact, quite fine. He's making bubbly noises in his ear, apparently pretty content with the new situation.

Alec arrives one second later, rushing to them all worried and flustered. He stops a few steps from the table, eyes widening. “What did you do to my son?”

I... Uh...” Magnus blushes. He didn't think Alec would mind.

“Did you drug him? Did you replace him with a doll? Tell me your secret, warlock!”

Alec's playful tone makes Magnus relax. He adjusts his hand over Max's head and grins awkwardly. “I just... I just picked him up.”

Alec looks as disbelieving as Magnus is. “I heard him crying and then it stopped so abruptly...” He eyes his son like he can't quite recognize him. “I thought he had passed out or something. He never calms down so quickly.”

Magnus feels very proud: Max likes him; Alec is impressed. Day made.

“We're good friends, huh?” he says, turning over his shoulder towards the baby. “Aren't we, Max? Tell Daddy we're besties.”

Alec is staring with his arms crossed and big smile on his lips. “You're good with kids.”

“Really?” Magnus lights up. “He's the first baby I've ever dealt with”

Alec fires a finger gun at him with a wink: “You're hired. From now, no matter what day or time it is, you have to show up whenever he's having a crying fit. Sorry, I don't make the rules.”

There is a number of implications in this statement, however humorous, and Magnus wants to sign up for all of them.

Wants Alec to call him in the middle of the night because he knows he can.

Wants Max to feel safe and sound in his arms when nothing else will pacify him.

Wants both of them to count on him, always, no matter what.

“You have my number.”

“And don't think for one second I'm not gonna use it,” Alec replies, and Magnus hopes it's a promise.

“Please, do.”

He's ready, he suddenly realizes, lost in Alec's eyes with a throb in his heart.

He wants this.

All of this.

_He wants this to be his life._

* * *

Alec is feeding Max his last bottle before sleep. The Project Runway is droning on the TV, but neither he nor Magnus are really paying attention. They're too enraptured by the funny noises Max is making while suckling his milk.

Magnus seems hypnotized: he observes every movement Max makes, marvels whenever she does something unexpected – a yawn or a whine – and compliments him with a heartful laugh when he burps loudly.

“He's a good little eater, huh?”

Alec puts the empty bottle down and snorts. “Euphemism.”

They're sitting very close. Alec is painfully aware of this, because Magnus' body irradiates heat like a furnace and he can feel it all over himself, burning against his thigh, his arm, his side. Magnus' arm is casually slung along the backrest behind Alec's head. It's innocent, and he surprises himself when he realizes he doesn't want it to be innocent. He doesn't ask for much: just a few inches lower, and Magnus' arm would be around his shoulders...

“Hey, look!”

Alec looks in the direction Magnus is pointing to: beyond the windows, fat snowflakes are falling copiously in the black night sky.

"Whoa! Look at that, Blueberry: your first snow!” He takes him by the window and sits him on the sill. He knows he can't understand what's going on, but he still wants him to see.

He feels Magnus' warmth behind him. He smiles at his reflection in the glass. Magnus smiles back.

It's perfect, Alec thinks, or very close to perfect.

No, truly perfect, he corrects, when Magnus' hand comes to rest on the small of his back.

They look at each other, and for a split second Magnus' fingers twitch, like he's not sure he should do what he's doing, but Alec nudges him with his shoulder and leans back against him. Magnus immediately relaxes and slips his arm around Alec's waist.

Whatever is happening, they let it happen. They stand like this for a long while, watching the snowflakes drift upon the city until a thin veil of white covers everything. Alec would happily stay like this all night.

He sighs blissfully when Magnus' chin brushes the side of his head. He feels Magnus's lips move as he sighs: “I should get going.”

“I don't think it's wise to get out there in this weather,” Alec objects, but what he really means is: don't leave. “I don't have a guestroom, but-”

Magnus parts from him to give him a scolding scowl: “You shouldn't do this.”

“Do what?”

“Invite people to stay over. It's not safe.”

“Mags,” Alec nearly laughs. “We've known each other for nearly two months, now. You're not people. You're Magnus. I've seen enough of you to know Max is more dangerous than you.”

Temptation dances in Magnus' eyes. “Are you sure?”

“Yeah. You can have my bed and I can-”

“No, absolutely not. The couch or nothing.”

“You're way bigger for that,” huffs Alec. “You might as well sleep in Max's crib.”

His heart flutters when Magnus reaches around his waist to tickle Max's foot.

“Did you hear that, little man? Your dad wants me to put you in a basket to sleep.”

At this point, Alec is absolutely positive he's in love. Which is awesome, but it's also quite scary: he hasn't been in love with anyone for ages. College, probably. And back in college he didn't have a little one to take care of.

“Magnus.” He steps back and gazes at him. He's pathetically nervous. “I'm sorry if this is gonna sound blunt, but I- I really need to ask. Where is this going? You and I, all of this. I don't wanna pressure you,” he clarifies quickly. Magnus seems dismayed. “It's just... my life is already messy enough without me falling for a man who doesn't feel the same.”

Magnus' expression stays blank for so long Alec fears he's lost him. Then his lips start stretching upward. “Well, this is awkward,” he says. “Because I didn't want to pressure you...”

Alec forbids himself to feel too elated. “I need you to be honest with me. I mean, most people wouldn't want to date a man with a baby. I get it.”

“What are you talking about?” Magnus' face darkens. He looks offended. Hurt, even. “I knew from the beginning you and Max were a package deal. I'm not here for a man with a baby. I'm here for Alexander and Max Lightwood. I care for you both. I love you both.”

Alec's eyes go wide. He holds onto Max more tightly. “You what?”

Magnus' face falls. “Did I say that out loud?” he babbles embarrassedly, but Alec just really wants to hug him.

“Please, say it again.”

“I love you,” Magnus repeats softly, a stunned smile on his face, then runs a finger over Max's nose. “I love you,” he whispers to him.

Alec feels something warm and wet roll down his face. “Did you hear that, Blueberry?” he sniffles. He cups Max's small head in his palm and rubs his thumb over the impalpable hair in a loving caress. “This guy loves us. Isn't that the coolest thing you've ever heard?” He bends to place a delicate peck on his forehead, then looks up at Magnus, lips twitching into a hint of a smile. There's a question in his eyes.

And as if he can read this question, Magnus slowly reaches out and Alec finds himself mirroring the movement. Alec's hand is still on Max's head when their lips meet above his in a light, tentative kiss. It's chaste, just lips meeting lips experimentally, but it's more than Alecx dared to hope for.

When they part, his heart his racing and he has a weird knot in the back of his throat. “We love you, too,” he whispers. He reaches out for another kiss, but Magnus gently pushes his back.

“Wait.” His voice is low and deadly serious. “Before you say that, there's something you should know about me.”

Alec feigns an outraged face: “You're not really into The Project Runway.”

“No.”

“You killed someone?”

“What? No!”

“You're secretly a warlock?”

“Alexander, I'm serious, I-”

“I already know, Magnus.”

There's a moment of silence. Magnus' mouth opens and closes a couple of times before he manages to stutter: “What?”

Alec shrugs. “It took me a while to figure out why you kinda looked familiar. Then a couple of weeks ago there was a picture this big in the newspaper: MB Technologies CEO M.Bane. I felt stupid for not realising it sooner.”

Magnus swallows. His eyes fill with fear. “I didn't want to lie to you. Please, believe me, I wanted to tell you but-”

“You must be sick and tired of gold diggers.”

“No! I mean, yes, but... the reason why I didn't tell you was that I was afraid it would ruin everything. That you'd think I just wanted to fool around with you.”

“I could never think that of you,” says Alec softly as he raises a hand to pat Magnus' arm.

“So it's... it's alright?” Magnus asks with uncertainly. “You're not mad?”

Alec chuckles: “Believe me, there are worse things in life than finding out your boyfriend is a billionaire.”

“Oh my god, this is such a relief. You have no idea how nervous I was to-” Magnus' head snaps up. “Did you just say boyfriend?”

Alec adjusts Max in his arms and addresses him a sultry look: “Don't get all worked up, big man. Max and I only want you for your money.”

“Great,” Magnus breathes hoarsely, staring into Alec's eyes like he's drowning in them. “It's all yours.”

And then Alec hooks an arm around his neck a pulls him down to kiss him again, this time more passionately, more intimately. Magnus kisses back, wrapping his arms around Alec and Max to bring them closer to him.

The snow keeps falling outside.

With a warm flutter in his chest,Alec muses that, after all, there is no need for anyone to sleep on the couch.

* * *

Magnus has never spent a day with any strangers, and never in an animal shelter.

There's a lot of people, many of which he's seen at the Deja Brew, and everyone has brought something to eat or to drink. Some of the dogs and cats have been let out of their spaces to share the celebrations with the humans who contributed to make their refuge a better place.

Alec has a cup of punch in his hand and is chatting with Raphael across the room. He winks when he notices Magnus is looking at him.

Magnus grins.

“It's nice, isn't it, Max?” he says. Comfortable ensconced in the crook of his arm,Max stirs sleepily. He walks his along the cages of the least fortunate animals – the ones who aren't healthy enough or tolerant enough to join the party – and stops before a pair of yellow eyes staring at him from behind the bars.

“Hey, there,” he greets. The cat purrs.

The tag says it's an eight-year-old male who was run over by a car and left in the street to bleed to death. He's missing a hind leg and half his tail.

A three-legged blessing.

“I know that look,” an amused voice says behind his back. Magnus turns around: Alec is smirking at him. “That's the look you had when you met Max and me.”

Magnus pretends not to get what he means. “So?”

Alec doesn't buy it for a second. “So,” he replies, scratching the cat's neck with a finger. “He's a keeper. You're already in love with him.”

“You always say my apartment is cold and sad.”

“It is.”

“This sweet little man will warm it up. You will, won't you?” he coos at the cat, who's rubbing himself against the bars to allow him to scratch him better. Yes, he's definitely in love.

Alec crosses his arms and shakes his head with a fond smile. “You're such a dork.”

“But I'm your dork,” says Magnus, holding out his hand. Alec takes it, kisses his knuckles.

“Yes, you are,” he says. “All ours.”

They share a meaningful look. Magnus couldn't agree more.

He smiles to himself.

_All yours._


End file.
